BMC uses online pothole tracking to pass the buck

Once again, the BMC has passed the buck — this time to you, the taxpaying citizen.

Once again, the BMC has passed the buck — this time to you, the taxpaying citizen.

A test run conducted by Hindustan Times found large gaps in the implementation of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s new online pothole tracking system, and there are two very clear reasons why.

First, the BMC, which officially requires its officials to inspect roads and spot potholes themselves, has now indirectly put the onus of identifying such spots on the citizen, fixing roads only if they are mentioned via the dedicated smartphone app or the Facebook page.

HT’s three-day test run of the online system found that craters just inches away from potholes that were complained about were left unattended because there was no complaint relating to them.

Second, within the online system too, officials have found a way to pass the buck, often referring potholes to incorrect ward offices and contractors to buy time and stave off the stipulated penalty for not addressing a complaint within three days.

During the HT test run, more than half the 17 spots reported were not filled up within three days. Six of the spots that were attended to were filled shoddily.